Paul O’Brien

picture of Paul O’Brien

Paul O’Brien is the Chief Executive of the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE). Based in Manchester the organisation has 250 local authorities in membership from throughout the U.K. He has overall strategic responsibility for the management and development of all the Association’s activities in the United Kingdom. Following a period as Acting Director, he was officially appointed Director in March 2000. He represents the Association on the Office of the Deputy Prime Ministers, Strategic Partnership Taskforce and the Local Government Procurement Forum. He has given evidence to various parliamentary select committees and participated in numerous lobbying meetings with Government Ministers, whilst representing the Association. Paul is also on the editorial board of the MJ. Paul was previously the Association’s Principal Advisor ( Scotland), with a remit to develop links with the Scottish Parliament and associated local government agencies. Paul has 20 years experience in local government. Prior to his appointment with APSE, Paul worked with South Lanarkshire Council in the areas of CCT and Best Value. When previously a trainee manager with Strathclyde Regional Council, Paul spent two years on secondment to APSE at the Scottish Secretariat from 1994 to 1996. Paul graduated in 1998 with a Masters Degree in Business Administration, having carried out his dissertation on the transition from a CCT environment towards the development of Best Value.

Keeping the pigs snouts out of the trough!

It has belatedly been pointed out to me that this event was Chatam House rules and I have therefore been asked to ‘censor’ this blog a bit to protect the ‘innocents’.
Attended a roundtable event on the Public Services Industry Review at the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) in London today. It was […]

May 21st, 2008 by Paul O’Brien

The confederates look likely to lose again!

The last two days have brought out into the public domain a story on the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) pursuing alleged price fixing cartels operating in the construction industry that has been about for some time.
When APSE first tried to give some exposure to this story about 12 months ago we received a series […]

May 21st, 2008 by Paul O’Brien

The great reorganisation debate!

Speak at our Northern Region lunch near Blackpool today on the topic of local government reorganisation along with Dennis Cooper and Mark Hammerton from Eversheds. We have an audience of over 30 and it ends up in a really good debate.
A number of those present have travelled from the North East where Durham County and […]

May 21st, 2008 by Paul O’Brien

Weekend in Aviemore!

Travel up to Aviemore for the Scottish Labour Party Conference where we are exhibiting and arrive late on the Friday night - although this turns out to be worthwhile when I manage to get a chat with Harriet Harman at one of the evening events.
The next day is an early start as I attend the […]

May 21st, 2008 by Paul O’Brien

London calling!

Have a busy couple of days in London where I meet with DEMOS to discuss a research project we are involved in around value for money in partnerships, the new Chief Executive of the LGIU, Andy Sawford and most importantly our National Council at Parliament.
Gets off to a bad start when the train abruptly stops […]

May 21st, 2008 by Paul O’Brien

Durham, Trading and Charging and the Minister!

Went to Durham County Council today to the official opening of their new super depot. When driving in I thought I was at the wrong building as it looked like a software company from the outside.
DCLG Minister John Healey was on hand to unveil the plaque and we all then got a tour of the […]

May 21st, 2008 by Paul O’Brien

Debating renewable energy!

APSE held a strategic forum on the Environment and Sustainability in Southampton today, chaired by Cllr Richard Williams.
Dr Alan Whitehead M.P. the Chair of the House of Commons all party group PRASEG - The Parliamentary Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group spoke at the forum on initiatives around decentralised renewable energy schemes focusing in particular on […]

May 21st, 2008 by Paul O’Brien

Learning about the Welsh way!

APSEs Assistant Chief Executive, Mark Bramah held a lobbying meeting with Dr. Brian Gibbons, Minister for Social Justice, at the Welsh Assembly
Brian was particularly interested in the research we are carrying out into the economic footprint of local government in Swindon with CLES. He has an agenda about promoting local economies and employment opportunities for […]

May 21st, 2008 by Paul O’Brien

Now or Never for Council Housing!

Participated in the first meeting of the DCLG National Housing Revenue Account (HRA) review group at Parliament today. It was really interesting and something that is long overdue, its time policymakers got over themselves and realised that Council Housing is a quality affordable option that is staring them in the face to deal with the […]

May 21st, 2008 by Paul O’Brien

APSE gets the blues!

APSE launched its Governance, Neighbourhoods and Service Delivery research today at the Conservative Councillors Association conference in Warwickshire.
Cllr Margaret Eaton the CCA chair joined our Assistant Chief Executive Mark Bramah and Steve Griggs of INLOGOV at a packed reception. Good to see people of the quality of Cllr Paul Bettison taking the time to […]

March 2nd, 2008 by Paul O’Brien